Women are not bleeding birds
and should one strike us
the wound would seep
but water

They pledged me no loyalty
nor did I give them my word
There is no cause for blame

If I were a woman, I'd be a
nymph. I did love the violence
that silent, dismissive gesture of
men, mouth forced open

Men: we will become
women, bleeding
shame
disgrace
someone's shadow

translated from the German by Helen MacCormac